Kindle and Flame
by MRSSMITH1979
Summary: This is a rough draft of a story that is in the works. More chapters are to follow. Please let me know what you think all suggestons are appreciated.


Kindle and Flame

If I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes

the reasons are out of your control, but, you go on, and learn. I always thought that the popular choices

were the right choices, but, I know now that they weren't always right for me. I was 12 years old when I

tried my first cigarette. I had no idea what I was doing , its all pretty stupid really. My friend told me first you

put the cigarette in your mouth, then you take a drag off of it, so I did. Then she said you don't blow out the

smoke, take another deep breath in, now, exhale. And when I did that, I thought that I would fall over, I

mean I was so dizzy. What a rush!! Head rush that is. So, from that day on, every morning we would have

our before school cigarettes. I mean after all, we were women now, right? This ritual went on for quite

awhile, but, eventually an addiction started to occur. I would be at home, after school, after dinner, and become agitated ver easily

I knew that I couldn't smoke, so I would eat, and no matter what I ate, there was still an unfilled void. I

started to make up excuses to leave the house. Anything that I could think of. From walking the dog, to

homework study groups, whatever. I had to get my nicotine fix.

One day, while smoking in the Girl's bathroom, I overheard an "exclusive" group of girls talking about this

party they were going to have in the upcoming weekend. It sounded so cool. No parental supervision, boys,

cigarettes and oh yeah, alcohol. One of the girls walked away from the group and walked over to me. She

asked me," Do you got a lite?" I quickly lit her cigarette and I asked about the party. She told me that

anybody who is anybody would be there and if I had some money to pitch in, I was welcome to come. Finally,

I was accepted in the "in" crowd! I got hardly focus for the rest of the school day. On the way walking home

my friend Patricia asked me, "Hey, what is with you today?" I did n't want to tell her, but, I caved. I'm going

to the Swanson's party Friday night. Her face got so red with both anger and surprise. "Really," she said.

"And what makes you so damn special?" "I don't know what your so damn mad about, its just a party." "Chill

out already." "Whatever." She hissed. When we got to her house she just ran in and shut the front door in

my face. I mean what an attitude problem.

As the week went on, I became so anxious. I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes, I could hardly eat, I

mean "I" was finally a somebody! Me!! But then it occured to me that I haven't talked to Patricia, so

Thursday, I decided to call her up. Ring,ring. "Hello, oh hi Alicia, what can I do for you?" "May I please talk to

Patty?" "Sure, hold on a minute." "Patricia, youhave a phone call." "Hello." "Hey Patty." "What have you been

up to?" " Oh its you." "So now you want to talk?" "Here's a suggestion, call your new friends." "Hey, I'm

sorry for the way that I have been treating you, I-"Look", she yelled. "I don't want your stupid apology!"

"But", I said. "But nothing!" she yelled. Bam! And that is all that I heard after she slammed the phone down

to hang up on me.

I felt like a complete scum bag. How could I have not seen what I was doing to my best friend? So the next

morning, I went to Patty's house to try to talk to her on the way to school. Knock, knock. Her mother opened

the door. "Is Patty here?" "I would like to walk her to school." "No, I'm afraid that she's not", her mother

said. "She had her father drive her to school this morning." "That's okay", I thought to myself.

I went on to school, hoping that she would give me a chance to apologize. Patty wasn't in my English class,

so I started asking people if they had seen her. But no one had. I went looking for her in the Girl's

bathrooms, in the hallways and nothing. No Patty. Finally lunch period came around. As I began to eat my

lunch, the fire alarm went off. "Everyone please try to remain calm and exit from the designated emergency

exits." When I went outside, I could see the smoke coming from the other side of the school. The fire truck

came. The ambulance came. The police came. It did not take long for the fire-fighters to put out the fire. After

they did, the paramedics took the stretcher up to the back entrance of the school. One of the fire-fighters

came out carrying a person that had been burnt in the fire. It was Patty!!! "Oh my God!!!" I screamed as I

dropped to my knees. All I could do was cry hysterically. Then I tried to regain some composure so I could

find out what was going on. "What happened?" I asked the fire-fighter. "Is she alright?" "She's alive", he

said. "But, she's burnt up pretty bad."

Patricia was transported to the county hospital. She was in the ICU, and that's where she began the long

process of her treatment. Sixty percent of her body had third degree burns. Apparently, she had been

smoking in the utility closet and she had stolen a fifth of cherry vodka from her parents. She had become so

intoxicated, she had passed out with a lit cigarette. The alcohol was ignited by her cigarette, and that what

caused the fire. I am so thankful for the school's smoke detector, otherwise, Patty may not be alive.

I can't believe that I had became so wrapped up in myself, that I had overlooked my bestfriend. The guilt

was overwhelming to me. It was time for me to do some real soul searching. The first thing that I did was

quit smoking,it wasn't easy, but it was the only choice. Several weeks had gone by and Patty was still in

acoma. I couldn't go to visit her yet because it was against the hospital rules because her condition was so

critical. Andthe fact that I couldn't be with her , when she needed me the most was tearing me up inside. I

find it very disturbing that it took something so life threatening for me to actually see the error of my ways. I

mean Patty was the most wonderful the most beautiful person that I have ever known, and I was too stupid

to see that. If I could have went back in time, I would have made sure to let her know that she was good

enough. that she didn't need to prove anything to anyone. and that I was the luckiest person to have her

as my best friend. But, I can't go back, and the only thing that I can do is to be there for her no matter what

because not only was she given a second chance for life, but, I was given a second chance to be her friend.


End file.
